Age related changes to the valves of the heart (Degenerative mitral valve disease)

Coughing and other breathing problems

Congenital (present at birth) heart defects

Cardiac arrhythmias

Disease of the pericardium (sac surrounding the heart)

Cardiac tumors

High blood pressure

Pulmonary hypertension

Diagnosis is done via most advanced diagnostic tests, including echocardiography, electrocardiography, Holter monitor recordings, radiographs, and cardiac catheterization which can successfully diagnose heart disease in a wide variety of animals.based on these essential tests and physical examination findings, treatment options are chosen according to the patient animal’s condition. Early diagnosis and appropriate therapy of cardiac conditions can help the pet to live a longer and healthier life.

Goals of Cardiologic Consultation

Diagnostic Procedures

Most of the procedures used for diagnosis are non invasive and need to be safe and rapid. According to this criteria cardiology may be of three types:

Medical cardiology: It includes basic and advanced diagnostic procedures like echocardiography, radiography, ambulatory ECG and cardiac catheterization. The goal of these procedures is management of heart diseases, heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias and chronic respiratory diseases.

Interventional cardiology: It is done for correction of cardiac disorders by passage of catheters and/or instruments into the beating heart. It includes pacemaker implantation, balloon dilation of valve stenosis and PDA closure.

Cardiac surgery: It includes basic and advanced type of cardiac surgeries to correct a variety of congenital and acquired heart diseases.

Treatment Options

Depending on the animal’s condition, diagnostic testing and treatment may include:

Echocardiography (sonography): It is non invasive ultrasound imaging of the heart.

Electrocardiography (ECG)- Electrical reading of the heart’s rhythm is done in a non invasive way.